Singapore EP vs SP Pass: Comprehensive Analysis of Core Differences

Behind these two passes lies Singapore's sophisticated logic of stratified talent selection

Singapore's Employment Pass (EP) and S Pass (SP) constitute the core pillars of its foreign talent introduction system, with systematic differences in positioning, thresholds, benefits, and policy orientation. After the new round of policy adjustments in 2025, these differences have become more pronounced: the EP salary threshold for the financial industry has risen to SGD 6,200 (SGD 5,600 for general industries), while the SP threshold is SGD 3,800 (SGD 3,300 for general industries). This stratified design not only reflects Singapore's refined management of talent structure but also profoundly impacts the long-term development path choices of enterprises and individuals.

I. Positioning and Target Groups: High-end Innovation Drive vs Mid-level Skills Supplement

• EP: Strategic Channel for Top-tier Talent
  Targeting high-level professional groups such as multinational company executives, financial experts, and technology R&D personnel, with core positioning to drive industrial innovation and global competition. Applicants typically need bachelor's degree or above and technical expertise in scarce fields such as artificial intelligence and green energy. In policy design, EP has no industry quota restrictions, highlighting Singapore's openness to top talent.
• SP: Targeted Supply of Mid-level Technical Labor
  Aimed at technical workers, mid-level managers in the service industry, and specific industry technicians (such as construction supervisors, medical caregivers), the core function is to fill structural gaps in the local labor market. Educational requirements are relatively relaxed—a diploma or technical school certificate combined with practical experience can meet basic conditions. However, SP is subject to strict quota constraints (service industry ≤15% of total local employees, other industries ≤20%), ensuring foreign employees don't squeeze local employment space.

Table: Core Qualification Comparison of EP and SP Passes in 2025

II. Application Thresholds: COMPASS Scoring System vs Basic Qualification Review

• EP: Elite Selection Through Multi-dimensional Scoring
  Since 2024, EP applications mandatorily introduce the COMPASS scoring framework (full score 100 points, need ≥40 points). This system quantifies talent value through four major dimensions:
• Salary Level: Reaching the top 20% of the industry earns 20 points (e.g., financial industry benchmark for 2025 is SGD 6,200)
• Educational Background: PhD 10 points, Master's 8 points, Bachelor's 6 points
• Corporate Diversity: Points deducted for excessive foreign employee ratio
• Local Employee Ratio: Higher Singapore citizen ratio yields higher score
  This mechanism forces companies to balance foreign talent quality with local team building. For example, tech companies applying for AI experts need to simultaneously optimize local recruitment strategies.
• SP: Dual Standards of Skills and Salary
  No COMPASS scoring required, but must pass MOM skills matching test to prove alignment between position skills and applicant qualifications. While salary requirements are lower than EP, they must meet age-related increments:
• Age 30: SGD 3,300
• Age 40: SGD 4,800 (45% increase)
• Age 45+: SGD 5,650 (financial industry)
  Higher age requires higher salary, preventing foreign employees from replacing local senior practitioners at low cost.

III. Quota System and Employer Costs: Market Freedom vs Control Constraints

• EP: High Freedom with Zero Quota
  Companies hiring EP employees are not subject to quota ratio restrictions, employers only need to bear regular salary costs. This design reduces management burden for enterprises bringing in top talent, especially beneficial for multinational companies to quickly build core teams.
• SP: Dual Pressure of Quotas and Taxes
  Companies must pay monthly SGD 650 foreign worker levy for each SP holder (44% increase in 2025) and strictly comply with industry quota caps. If a company's Singapore citizen ratio is insufficient, SP cannot be approved even with vacant positions. A typical case: a tech company had one of three Chinese engineers rejected due to insufficient local employee ratio.

IV. Additional Benefits and Long-term Value: Family Settlement vs Career Transition

• EP: Golden Springboard to Permanent Residence
  Holders can bring spouse and children under 21 (DP Dependant's Pass), those with monthly salary ≥SGD 12,000 can also apply for LTVP Long Term Visit Pass for parents. Can submit PR (Permanent Residence) application after working for just six months, the most efficient channel in Singapore's immigration policy.
• SP: Progressive Path with Limited Benefits
  Can apply DP for spouse and children only when monthly salary ≥SGD 6,000, and cannot sponsor parents. SP holders planning to apply for PR must first convert to EP, invisibly extending immigration cycle by at least 1-2 years.

Table: Comparison of Additional Benefits for EP and SP Passes

V. Policy Trends and Selection Strategies: Precise Matching Under Stratified Tightening

• EP: Continuously Rising Thresholds, Quality First
  The 2025 salary increase is just the beginning; the COMPASS system may add new dimensions like "sustainable development experience" in the future. Those with monthly salary ≥SGD 22,500 can be exempted from scoring, policy further tilting toward ultra-high income elites.
• SP: Structural Adjustment, Industry Differentiation
  Construction and healthcare industries may relax SP ratios due to rigid demand, while service industry may further tighten. Foreign worker levy's 44% increase over three years forces companies to reassess cost-benefit ratio of mid-level foreign employees.

Personal Strategy Recommendations:

• Young highly-educated individuals: With salary ≥SGD 5,600 and working in scarce fields like digital technology, should prioritize EP
• Experience-based technical talent: If salary between SGD 3,300-5,600, SP is more realistic but need to confirm employer's quota availability
• Key to corporate compliance: Quota-sensitive industries like manufacturing should leverage Strategic Economic Priority Programme (SEPP), exchanging additional SP quotas through training local employees

Singapore's dual-track pass system is essentially a sophisticated talent selection experiment: EP anchors global top innovation capabilities, while SP directionally fills skill gaps. With 2025 EP salary thresholds generally rising 10%-12% and SP foreign worker levy increasing to SGD 650/month, the policy balance is accelerating toward "quality over quantity."

For enterprises, choosing EP or SP is no longer just an employment decision but a key match for integrating into Singapore's national talent strategy; for individuals, it requires precise balance between salary qualification, quota compliance, family needs, and PR pathways—after all, in this clearly stratified policy system, choosing the wrong pass type could mean 3 years of career opportunity cost.